1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a gesture-based human machine interface, for example a graphical user interface for controlling a program executing on a computer. Although applicable to many types of programs, programs controlling the flight of one or more unmanned air vehicles are of particular interest.
2. Background
Human machine interfaces have evolved substantially over the past decades. Even within the narrower field of control of computers, interfaces have evolved from command lines to graphical user interfaces requiring the use of a mouse or similar type of pointing device for selecting graphical icons displayed to a user.
More recently, touch screen devices have gained popularity. Touch screen devices allowing multiple points of input are particularly advantageous as they open up the possibility of gesture-based control. Apple's iPhone™ is a good example where touches may be used to select items, scroll up or down, zoom in or zoom out and to rotate items. Touch screen devices suffer several disadvantages. For example, the screens tend to have slow reaction times, poor accuracy and poor reliability, while frequent use of a touch screen leads to the accumulation of residues and dirt resulting in further deterioration of performance.
Systems that avoid some of the problems of touch screen devices have been proposed by avoiding contact with the screen. Instead, the gestures of the user are monitored and a response is provided that is based upon the detected gesture. For example, systems that monitor the hands of a user have been proposed, such that gestures made with the hands are used to select, scroll, zoom, rotate, and the like, akin to current systems that rely upon touching the screen.
It would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.